You thought the HR-V was the CR-V’s baby brother? You were wrong… sort of.
Honda has been on the attack in recent months, announcing new models and debuts left, right, and center. The Japanese auto giant has been busy preparing major new models such as the Honda Civic Type R, but it has also been hard at work preparing new SUV models for the global market. There’s a ton of buzz around the new Honda HR-V, and we’ve reported on a few interesting leaks surrounding this upcoming SUV. but there’s another all-new SUV that’s getting ready to show its face to the world: the Honda ZR-V. CarBuzz previously discovered the name in an Australian trademark filing, but the Japanese automaker has now officially confirmed its existence, declaring it will be a new crossover joining its European lineup in 2023.
Details surrounding the new SUV are still scant, but we do know that it will slot between the HR-V and CR-V in the current Honda lineup, and is classified as a C-segment SUV in Europe – equivalent to the US compact segment. That means it will go up against rivals like the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, and Volkswagen Tiguan. In an effort to expand its electric and hybrid range of vehicles, the new Honda ZR-V will be powered by the brand’s e:HEV hybrid powertrain. This likely means the ZR-V will be powered by a 1.5-liter engine, assisted by a two-motor hybrid system. The gearbox will most likely be a continuously variable transmission, and it is not yet clear if the ZR-V will be exclusively sold as a front-wheel-drive car, or if all-wheel-drive will be made available.
With a compact SUV market that’s already filled to the brim, it will be interesting to see if Honda will bring the ZR-V stateside. The HR-V currently sells for between $21,870 and $28,170, while its larger sibling the CR-V retails for between $25,350 and $35,150. If the Z-RV is smaller than the CR-V, it’s unlikely to reach us, as we have a penchant for larger crossovers – leading to the USDM HR-V being market-specific, as well as other manufacturers building wider vehicles for America like the forthcoming Mazda CX-70 and CX-90.
Honda posted disappointing US sales figures in the first quarter of 2022 and is hoping that new models like the Type R and HR-V will pick those numbers back up.
UPDATE: Images have been revealed for the Chinese market (below), and the ZR-V appears to be identical to the new USDM HR-V.
Honda China
Honda China
Honda China
Honda China
